第299章

第299章theunclesang,aspeasantssing,infullandnaiveconvictionthatinasongthewholevaluerestsinthewords,thatthetunecomesofitselfandthatatuneapartisnothing,thatthetuneisonlyforthesakeoftheverse.andthisgavetheuncle’sunself-conscioussingingapeculiarcharm,likethesongofbirds.natashawasinecstasiesovertheuncle’ssinging.shemadeuphermindnottolearntheharpanylonger,buttoplayonlyontheguitar.sheaskedtheunclefortheguitarandatoncestruckthechordsofthesong.

atteno’clocktherearrivedthewagonette,atrap,andthreemenonhorseback,whohadbeensenttolookfornatashaandpetya.thecountandcountessdidnotknowwheretheywereandwereveryanxious,sosaidoneofthemen.

petyawascarriedoutandlaidinthewagonetteasthoughhehadbeenacorpse.natashaandnikolaygotintothetrap.theunclewrappednatashaup,andsaidgood-byetoherwithquiteanewtenderness.heaccompaniedthemonfootasfarasthebridgewhichtheyhadtorideround,fordingthestream,andbadehishuntsmenrideinfrontwithlanterns.

“farewell,dearlittleniece！”theyheardcalledinthedarknessbyhisvoice,nottheonenatashahadbeenfamiliarwithbefore,butthevoicethathadsung“whentherefallateveningglow.”

therewereredlightsinthevillagetheydrovethroughandacheerfulsmellofsmoke.

“whatadarlingthatuncleis！”saidnatashaastheydroveoutintothehighroad.

“yes,”saidnikolay.“you’renotcold？”

“no,i’mverycomfortable;very.iamsohappy,”saidnatasha,positivelyperplexedatherownwell-being.theyweresilentforalongwhile.

thenightwasdarkanddamp.theycouldnotseethehorses,butcouldonlyhearthemsplashingthroughtheunseenmud.

whatwaspassinginthatchildlike,responsivesoul,thatsoeagerlycaughtandmadeitsownallthevariedimpressionsoflife？howweretheyallstoredawayinherheart？butshewasveryhappy.theyweregettingnearhomewhenshesuddenlyhummedtheairof“whentherefallateveningglow,”whichshehadbeentryingtogetalltheway,andhadonlyjusteededincatching.

“haveyoucaughtit？”saidnikolay.

“whatareyouthinkingofjustnow,nikolay？”askednatasha.theywerefondofaskingeachotherthatquestion.

“i？”saidnikolay,tryingtorecall.“well,yousee,atfirstiwasthinkingthatrugay,thereddog,isliketheuncle,andthatifhewereamanhewouldkeepunclealwaysinthehousewithhim,ifnotforracing,formusiche’dkeephimanyway.howjollyuncleis！isn’the？well,andyou？”

“i？waitaminute;waitaminute！oh,iwasthinkingatfirstthatherewearedrivingandsupposingthatwearegoinghome,butgodknowswherewearegoinginthisdarkness,andallofasuddenweshallarriveandseewearenotatotradnoebutinfairyland.andthenithought,too…no;nothingmore.”

“iknow,ofcourse,youthoughtofhim,”saidnikolay,smiling,asnatashacouldtellbyhisvoice.

“no,”natashaanswered,thoughshereallyhadbeenthinkingatthesametimeofprinceandreyandhowhewouldliketheuncle.“andikeeprepeating,too,allthewayikeeprepeating：hownicelyanisyushkawalked;hownicely…”saidnatasha.andnikolayheardhermusical,causeless,happylaugh.

“anddoyouknow？”shesaidsuddenly.“iknowishallneverbeashappy,aspeacefulasiamnow…”

“whatnonsense,idiocy,rubbish！”saidnikolay,andhethought：“whatadarlingthisnatashaofmineis！ihaveneverhad,andnevershallhave,anotherfriendlikeher.whyshouldshebemarried？icoulddrivelikethiswithherforever！”

“whatadarlingthisnikolayofmineis！”natashawasthinking.

“ah！stillalightinthedrawing-room,”shesaid,pointingtothewindowsoftheirhousegleamingattractivelyinthewet,velvetydarknessofthenight.